Notification Circular 281-24

16 February 2024

This Notification Circular includes notices that are required to be given to the public, submitters and appropriate government agencies, under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (FSANZ Act).

For information about progress on all current applications and proposals, including anticipated consultation opportunities, see the FSANZ Food Standards Work Plan.

Previous Notification Circulars and Gazettes are available on the FSANZ website.

New applications and proposals

FSANZ has completed an administrative assessment and accepted the following application. Assessment has now commenced. An opportunity to comment will be available at a later date which will be publicly notified.

General procedure

Application A1289 – Food derived from disease-resistant, low-reducing sugars and reduced browning potato line BG25: To seek approval for the sale and use of food derived from potato line BG25, genetically modified to have disease-resistance, low-reducing sugars and reduced browning.

Date received:12 December 2023

Approval - Food Ministers' Meeting notification

FSANZ has approved variations arising from the following applications. FSANZ has notified these approvals to the Food Ministers’ Meeting:

Once FSANZ has notified the Food Ministers’ Meeting of its decision, it has 60 days to either request FSANZ to review the approved standard or inform FSANZ that it does not intend to request a review. Further information on the process is available at FSANZ website.

Other matters

Food Standards Work Plan

The Work Plan has been updated and is current as of 12 February 2024.

Amendment to Schedule 20 – Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) [Australia only]

The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) has notified FSANZ of applications or variations to the APVMA MRL Standard that the APVMA considers will likely result in variations to Schedule 20 if they are granted.

More information on these notifications can be obtained at Maximum residue limits – variations

Calls for public comment – Proposed variations to Schedule 20

The APVMA has called for public comment on a number of proposed variations to Schedule 20. Information can be found on the APVMA website.

Gazettal of amendments to Schedule 20

The APVMA has registered a number of amendments to Schedule 20 on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments. For further information, go to the Federal Register.

Information Publication Scheme – Important information for applicants and submitters

Under the Information Publication Scheme, all applications to change the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, as well as submissions on applications and proposals, will be published on our website.

We will not publish any material provided in-confidence. Application documents will be published when we call for submissions. Where large numbers of documents are involved, FSANZ will make these available on request, rather than publishing on the website. Submissions are published as soon as possible after the end of the public comment period.

Contact us

If you wish to be advised of developments with any of the matters listed above or require more information about anything in this circular, email standards.management@foodstandards.gov.au.

If you have general questions about our work, you can also write to us. See our contact page for details.

Food Regulation Secretariat

In accordance with the Food Regulation Agreement, the Australian Government Department of Health is responsible for providing secretariat services to the Food Ministers' Meeting, the Food Regulation Standing Committee and the Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation.

Visit the Food Regulation website or email the Food Regulation Secretariat for more information foodregulationsecretariat@health.gov.au